The Ohio State product has become an unlikely Stanley Cup playoff hero with three goals in the
Capitals' entertaining series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The lanky Steckel forced tonight's Game 7 with an overtime goal on a deflected shot Monday in
the Capitals' 5-4 victory in Pittsburgh. Even as teammates were mobbing Steckel on the ice,
Umberger was sending a congratulatory text message.

He knows what it's like to get hot at the right time.

"I was really happy for David," said Umberger, who scored 10 postseason goals last spring for
Philadelphia. "He has had a really good playoff for them."

In a star-studded series with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin, a
third-line checking center has made a significant impact.

Steckel, in his second NHL season, has scored a goal in all three Washington wins.

"I was exposed to two long playoff runs in the (American Hockey League)," Steckel, 27, said by
phone yesterday morning. "If you are going to win a Cup, you need to have your role players step
up, and we've had that happen here. We've had some guys score some timely goals, as well as do the
little things."

Steckel excels at the "little things" -- checking, penalty killing, winning key faceoffs and
matching up against the opponent's top lines. But he has also found his scoring touch after
recording just eight regular-season goals.

"David wants to win so badly," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. "When you compete as hard as
David does, sometimes good things happen to you.

"You can win with guys like that. A lot of coaches want guys like David Steckel."

Umberger said he never doubted that his former Buckeyes teammate could play in the NHL. Steckel
uses his 6-foot-5 frame and long reach to his advantage, especially defensively. He also is one of
the Capitals' most cerebral players.

"He thinks the game so well," Umberger said. "He's like having another coach in the locker room
and on the ice."

Steckel's skating ability was in question coming out of Ohio State, but he has shown he can
compete at the highest level. His line has been pitted against Crosby's unit at times in the
series.

Crosby has six goals and four assists.

"Sid is a pretty dynamic player," Steckel said. "You are never going to shut down a player like
that, but you hope to limit his chances."

One way Steckel has done that is by winning faceoffs. He is among the playoff leaders at 58.2
percent. He won 11 of 15 draws in Game 6 and scored the overtime goal after winning an offensive
zone faceoff.

Steckel and the Capitals have become tough outs in these playoffs. They are 4-0 in elimination
games and 6-1 dating to last postseason.

"It's been pretty remarkable, but it will be all for nothing if we cannot keep it going,"
Steckel said.

Regardless of tonight's outcome, it has been a good season for Buckeyes in the NHL. Umberger and
Vancouver's Ryan Kesler each had a career-high, 26-goal season. Kesler also is a finalist for the
Selke Trophy, presented to the league's top defensive forward.

"It says a lot about our program," Steckel said. "I look forward to coming home in the offseason
and working out at OSU and training with the same strength and conditioning coach I've had since my
junior year."